Where I came from and where I have been

I was born in the Hillman General Hospital in Birmingham, Alabama on October 20, 1035.  It was called a free hospital for those people who did not have money for medical needs.  

The  memories of that event were told to me by my mother and father.  Much of those memories  related to me by by dad were different each time they were retold.  In my twenties I came to realize that the stories of my dad were more fiction than reality.  I always thought I was a descendant of Robert E. Lee, Stonewall Jackson, Andrew Jackson, Andrew Johnson, etc.  All because my grandfather was named Lee, and my great grandmother was a Jackson and another grand parent was a Johnson. I think my father never heard or told a story that he couldn't embellish when he next related it.

I never thought that my family was poor.  We had food and a home.  My dad always had a job and my memory was that my mother was also working.  I remember making breakfast for my brother and making him eat it no matter that it was sometimes overcooked.  Mom seemed to be the driving force in the family.  Each time we moved it was to a better situation.   Reflection: What Mom was doing was buying and selling and each time to a bigger and better home.  This was a pattern for her and a lesson for me.

We moved many times,  and Dad had many jobs and business opportunities,  most of them ended in what I now realized were failures.   He was a steeple jack, a house painter, owned a service  station, and garage.  He was a candy salesman, vacuum cleaner salesman, nightclub owner, manager of a foundry. And more.  The last one was in Los Angeles and the owners of the foundry were his uncles.  When I was 11 he sent for us to join him in California.  Mom packed up the car and we (mom, my brother age 8 and I) drove to California from Alabama.  The telling of that trip later.  We wound up in Compton where  we bought a house on Aprilia street.  I attended Enterprise Junior High School. 8th grade to the tenth grade. Then on to Compton High School. Graduated in 1953 at the age of 17.  I had met Darlene Medlock who was one year behind me.  High school was fun.  I was on the debate team and was selected Speaker of the Year.  I was on the track and cross country team.  My best effort for that was winning the gold buckle in the Mt. Sac. cross country event. 

I had a scholarship to Redlands University, a Baptist affiliated  college. (I scored very high in the "Teaching of Jesus" classes.  I was questioned by the Dean of Students because I had several tests with a score of 100.  I challenged him to a test and needless to say he dropped the accusation.)  

At the end of that first year on June 25 1954, Darlene and I were married.  To supplement our income, Darlene was a baby sitter for one on the professors.  I worked as a bicycle repairman, worked the concession stands and sold tickets to the ball games.  I also stocked the S & H green stamp store, and finished the year as a school bus driver.  Michael was born in March.  

We moved to Long Beach and I did my last two years of college at Long Beach State, receiving my B.A. and elementary teaching credential.  

During those two years I worked at Douglas Aircraft.  I worked in Production Control, my job was tracking down and expediting job orders that were not available on time.  The purpose was to keep the assemble lines moving.  This job allowed me time to study.  I was elected shop steward (youngest at the age of 22)        and did file a class action grievance.  (It lost).  

Darlene's parents lived in the town of Ojai in Ventura County.  So with my teaching credential I applied for a job in the Ojai Elementary School district.  I stopped by the school office on a Saturday morning to get an application. The person  I assumed  was the janitor chatted with me and then found an application.  I completed it and left it and my resume and reference with him.  He sent me to a principals office to be interviewed.  I was then sent back to the main office after the interview  and the "janitor' told me I was hired.  Turned out the janitor was the School Superintendent.

The next two years were exciting and rewarding teaching the fourth grade.  Jackie was born that December.  In my second year I began work on my Masters Degree and Administrators Credential.  I was fortunate then and later in my career to take classes from the professors who were the experts in their field.   One of my teachers at Claremont Graduate School was the Riverside County Superintendent of Schools.  The class was only five students and open discussion of current educational issues was lively.  Surprisingly with only one year of teaching behind me, I seemed to impress Dr. Grindstaff.  He asked me to meet with him at his office.  At that meeting he had set up an interview with the principal of a school district in Riverside County.  I was hired a a teaching Vice-principal At the NuView School District. (In effect I had an internship as a teacher and Vice-principal)  So at the end of teaching two years  I began my administrative career.  I basically spent two hours after classes doing everything that a principal might do which included going through all mail that came to the school, I sorted out the junk, items of importance as to action needed or research etc.  

That was an important skill that was of value in my career. I also attended all administrative meeting with the School Board and other districts in Riverside County.  A side benefit was the opportunity to attend conference and workshops in the County.  Dr Grindstaff  also invited me to a variety of education events at the County Office.  Basically I had a year of training for school leadership and administration.   At the end of that year I was asked to be the Superintendent of the Alberhill School District.  A small district grades one to eight.  (I was the teacher for 4th through 8th, and sometimes bus driver when the custodian/bus driver was ill).  Although small the experience was complete being responsible for budget preparation and monitoring, curriculum development and implementation, teacher evaluation, and all the reports required by the State.  I was there two years.  A side benefit was my connection with the County Superintendent.  I met with him on a regular basis and was often asked to attend training programs.  The Riverside County Office treated me as if I were the superintendent of a large district. I  was able to have the advice of a wide variety of educational experts.

I was ready for my next experience.  I was selected to be interviewed by the Warner Elementary School District.  ( Dr. Grindstaff was my guardian angel in this also)

Exciting and I was ready for it.  Warner Springs was a total experience,  Hiring  new teachers, classified staff  board meetings,  conferences and workshops, working with neighboring school districts.  PTA's parent and community meetings.  I even wrote a column for the area newspaper.  School field trips, coaching the basketball team, developing a school library, visiting the two Indian Reservations,  All added to my experience.  At the end of three years I was getting invitations to interview for administration jobs.  I had kept my board apprised of my plans.  

The board came up with a plan to keep me one more year.  I basically worked three or four days a week.  I attended classes at U.S.C for my Secondary Administration credential.  And I was invited to attend training classes in school administration with the Riverside School District.  I was also asked to teach some of those classes.  I learned from the class and discovered as the teacher that the teacher often is the student.  This was a lesson for the future.

Of course Dr. Grindstaff came through for me once again.  He introduced me to Dr. Austin Selery, Superintendent of the Palm Springs School District and Dr Lloyd Trump (no relation). Dr Trump was a leader in the National Association of Secondary School Administrators.  I was offered a job as an Intern with NASSA to work as a vice-principal in the Palm Springs School District.

I accepted, my contract was two  pages long, mostly VP things I did not have to do.  The purpose was to learn how to innovate/implement new practices and improvements of the educational programs in the District.   I was also required to visit similar programs in the state and nation.  There were five in California and another fifty in the U.S.  (Los Angeles, Capistrano, Bakersfield, Stockton, and Sacramento)

 In addition to the above schools I traveled to Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Chicago, Atlantic City, Las Vegas, and Houston.  I also  visited any school in California that I heard was doing something new.  Dr Trump visited Palm Springs often, he seemed to like what was happening in my work. 

At the end of that year I was asked by Dr. Dieckman (Assistant Superintendent of San Diego County) to interview for a principals job with the County of San Diego.  The interview lasted all day, I met with the Superintendent  and each Assistant Superintendent.  I visited several schools and was also given a tour of parts of San Diego County.  Coming back to the county office I was asked if I was interested in the job.  I asked what there time line was for filling the position.  I was surprised to hear that the job was mine if I wanted it. I accepted. I believed that it would be a challenge and the San Diego County Office had a stellar reputation.

The next 27 years is for later. 

things YP I did not have to do

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